Jessica Bäckman hails amazing feeling after first series podium

Jessica Bäckman secured her first podium in the TCR Europe series at Hockenheim, finishing third ahead of her Target Competition team-mate, and brother, Andreas, in the second race of the weekend.

Bäckman started from the outside front row alongside Julien Briché at the start of the race and held position into Turn 1, before losing a spot to DG Sport’s Aurélien Comte at the hairpin.

The 21-year-old then held third until the finish, securing her first podium in the series, and her first TCR podium since Brands Hatch in the UK championship last year.

“It feels amazing,” said Bäckman to TouringCarTimes.

“I was happy when I qualified on the front row, but then before the race I was really nervous, but then Josh (Files) came and talked to me and said I deserved to be there and I could do this. That gave me a bit of confidence.

“I knew I have good race pace and can manage the tyres very well, it’s just the start and the first lap where I have trouble, and I had quite a good start.

“When the safety car came out I was quite confident. I knew I had my brother behind me, but I didn’t know if he was going to attack, but I got a gap for the last two laps so I knew I could manage this, so I’m very happy with my first podium here.